Magpie Monday - A Good Deed

I've had an unproductive week charity shop wise. I did walk into town for a browse but with a pushchair and a nearly three year old who has an uncanny knack for finding the donated plastic monstrosities that play maddeningly untuneful melodies, setting them off then wanting to take them home, my expedition was doomed to failure. We ended up buying Greggs pies instead.

However, there is still a Magpie Monday story to be told.

On our walk into town, we stopped to chat to an elderly couple. They asked us if we would like a sit and ride toy that they were trying to get rid of. The husband admitted it was just a bit of rubbish really. They had put it out for the dustbin men but doubted they would take it with all the rules about refuse collection and recycling. We said that if it was still there when we got back from our walk we would take it home with us. It felt more like doing a good deed than anything else. My husband was due a trip to our local dump. It would be no trouble for him to pop it in with our rubbish and dispose of it.

By the time we had finished our shopping, my little girl was getting very tired (even after fortification from a Greggs Cheese and Onion Slice). She was holding her arms out for a carry which is not all that easy when you have a pushchair to push at the same time. Luckily, we were not far from the dustbin with the sit and ride placed hopefully next to it. We could see that the bin men had left it.

After a quick inspection to see that it wasn't dangerous or about to self destruct, I popped my flagging little one onto the generous seat. It was very dirty, what must have been once vibrant colours had faded and there were a few bits missing. None of this bothered my daughter. She found a renewed burst of energy as her little legs worked hard to propel herself along the pavement towards home.

The sit and ride had a handle that made it easy for a parent to push and steer. Unfortunately, this was one of the bits that was missing!

Somehow, we made it home despite her steering herself into fences and walls. She loved it.

Since then, she has whizzed around our deck on it whenever we have let her outside to play.

It is still dirty. I kept meaning to clean it but wasn't sure whether it should stay or go. My husband made his trip to the dump yesterday.

The sit and ride stayed.